1 March 2023

Newsletter Articles

FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL

St Joseph’s Learning Spaces

We often have people ask us how our rooms operate and why we do what we do. Over the term, I will share with you the reasons why we love our teaching and learning spaces and philosophy.

Reason Number One: small group workshops allowing for target teaching according to need.
Reason Number Two: Our rooms enable students to move regularly.
Reason Number Three: Our learning spaces enable regular collaboration opportunities. A great way to learn is to talk to others. Being able to regularly collaborate with learning, significantly enhances the understanding of new topics. Due to the furniture in our learning spaces, teachers can change the configuration to best suit the purpose of their lessons. Regular discussion is encouraged throughout our learning spaces.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN will be occurring this year for all of our Year 3 and 5 students. All tests except for the Year 3 writing test will be conducted online.

Please see below for our school’s official NAPLAN testing schedule:

Second Hand Uniform Shop

The P&F will be running a pop up second hand uniform sale this Friday outside the office from 8:00am – 8:45am. The school second hand uniform shop is located at the top of the ramp of the stage area and is open Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:00am – 8:45am.

Upcoming Events:

• Board Meeting: Wednesday, 1st March
• Principal’s Conference: 7th – 9th March
• St Joseph’s Feast Day: Mass at 9am followed by Grandparent’s Day morning tea in the MPA. Drawing of the Year 6 Easter Raffle. 17th March.
• NAPLAN: 15th March – 24th March
• Year 6 Camp: 27th March – 30th March
• Last Day of Term 1 – 31st March

Regards,
Deanne Senini
Acting Principal

St Joseph’s 2022 School Improvement Priorities:

• Prayer
• Family Partnerships
• Increased Learning Gain & Achievement

RELIGIOUS MATTERS
1st Sunday of Lent

Jesus is tempted in the desert.

Matthew 4:1-11

Have you thought? – An invitation

Lent is a season of invitation. It is an invitation to step into the desert with Jesus; to confront our own purpose and ministry and to renew our trust in God’s vision for the world and for us individually. Seen in this light, Lent is so much more than fasting from meat and giving up ice cream for a few weeks. The whole idea of fasting and sacrifice is an attempt to simplify our lives. By simplifying our life and removing some of the daily distractions, we can share in the desert experience of Jesus and then truly celebrate the hope reborn in the Easter season.

@Liturgy Help – Greg Sunter

Sacramental Program

Please refer to the notice that went out on our SkoolBag app calling for expressions of interest for our 2023 Sacramental Program. This program is open to children who will be 9 years of age (or older) in 2023.

Your family's journey through the Sacraments allows you and your children to develop a deep sense of belonging to our Catholic faith community and a richer relationship with one another and with our God.

We would love to have you join us. If your family would like more information, please use the QR Code below:

Please note that enrolments for this year’s programme need to be finalised before the 19th of March 2023.

Lenten Traditions

Lent lies at the very heart of the Catholic faith. While Lent was originally intended as a time of preparation for those being baptised at Easter, it gradually became a time when Catholics focus on getting ready to renew our own baptismal promises. It is a time when we reflect on the dying and rising of Christ that has made our salvation possible.

The three Catholic observances we follow during Lent — prayer, fasting and giving alms — engage us in body, mind and spirit. Focusing on these traditional observances will bring your family closer to Christ … and to one another.

A FAMILY’S LENTEN PRAYER

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Liturgical Celebrations Coming Up

*SJPA – St Joseph’s Park Avenue
*OLHC – Our Lady Help of Christians church (next to St Joseph’s, Park Avenue)
*HF – Holy Family Parish Centre (next to Anthony’s School)
*MPA – Multipurpose Area (Basketball court)

PARISH NEWSLETTER

Elizabeth Carter
Assistant Principal Religious Education

CURRICULUM NEWS

NAPLAN

From 2023 NAPLAN is moving to March. NAPLAN is an online national literacy and numeracy assessment that Years 3, 5, 7 & 9 complete each year. Please keep an eye out for more information and notifications. The link below provides information for parents and carers:

DANIEL MORCOMBE CHILD SAFETY CURRICULUM

All classes have begun teaching the mandated child safety curriculum. The Curriculum consists of classroom lessons across three phases of learning: Prep—Year 2, Years 3—6, and Years 7—9. The Curriculum, available to all Queensland schools, aims to develop student knowledge and skills to recognise, react to and report unsafe situations.

Teachers use various materials, including interactive whiteboard activities, worksheets and safety books, to deliver the Recognise, React and Report messages. Developmentally appropriate scenarios are also used to explore and discuss safety situations that children and young people may encounter in their home or school environment.

One of the first lessons involves discussing private body parts. Please be aware that this is an essential and extremely important lesson. Some students can feel uncomfortable during this lesson as correct anatomical terms are used to name private body parts. Reinforcing scientific language at home means that when discussing private parts, there is no confusion.

There are some great safety resources for families on the Daniel Morcombe website:

VOLUNTEERS

In 2023, we look forward to welcoming volunteers back to school. There are various ways you can volunteer at Joey's. If you’d like to volunteer in the tuckshop, please get in touch with the office or catch up with our tuckshop convenor – Mrs Debbie Rooney. If you’d like to volunteer in your child’s classroom or perhaps another classroom, please approach the class teacher to see what activities are available to assist with.

Before beginning your volunteering, you must complete a volunteer induction; this will happen in the office before you start. Even if you have completed an induction before, the induction must be done every year. If you are a grandparent or community member, please pop into the office and see Tracey or Megan to collect a Volunteer Blue Card Application. For this process, you will require a copy of your driver licence certified by a JP or someone similar.

We look forward to welcoming many volunteers to Joey's this year.

MEDICAL DETAILS

With the start of a new school year, please ensure your child/ren’s medical details are up to date. To check this information, log on to parent lounge and check the medical tab. Please update if necessary. If your child has a medical action plan, please ensure it is current. If it is due for renewal, please drop a copy of the updated plan to the office or upload it to the medical section for your child in Parent Lounge. The school needs to have updated medical details on file. Your cooperation with this request is appreciated.

Regards,
Brooke Black
Acting Assistant Principal Curriculum

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Congratulations to the following students who will celebrate their birthday this week. They are: Cooper Bosel (Yr 4), Adam Neden (Yr 5), Tallon Kinlyside (Yr 2), Cohen Mitchell (Yr 1), Carter Chalk (Yr 1), Ryan Hallam (Yr 6), Melody Coke (Yr 2), Isabella Palframan (Yr 1) and Mrs Duncan (Yr 4).

Have a great day.

CLASSROOM NEWS

YR 1

Welcome back to the new school year! We hope that everyone is enjoying being back in school and getting back into the routines.

This term in our English workshops we will be covering different reading strategies, Soundwaves sounds and learning to write character descriptions.

In Maths, we will be looking at topics such as numbers to 100, skip counting, days, weeks and months of the year, shapes and using language such as “might happen, will happen, will not happen” to describe events.

Our afternoons consist of History and learning all about the past and present, special days, seasons and changes over time. Religion is focusing on Prayer, how we pray, why we pray and where we can pray.

Here are some photos of us doing our fine motor Friday workshops!

Yr 4

Elsie

In Year Four I have been loving Maths Extension work! We are currently learning about finding the lowest terms in fractions. We need to divide the number to find the smallest form. We created Kindness jars; each student has a jar and everyone writes kind notes about them. You can write something you admire about the person or just something kind, then we place it in their jar. It is great because it helps you make new friends and say something kind that you might not usually say.

Abigail

This year in Religion we are learning how to find texts within the Old Testament of the Bible. We learnt about the Book Titles, the chapters and the verses. These guide us through the Bible to find the story we are looking for. We have also learnt about the Zones of Regulation. The Zones tell us the different emotions or feelings we feel and how to recognise what zone we are in. That way, we can let our teachers know how we are feeling and if we are ‘Ready to Learn’.

This year I am learning to be resilient in the classroom and work hard in all my subjects, even if it is challenging. I feel that the harder I work, the happier I am with myself!

Nate:

In Year Four I have been learning about Odd and even numbers! I have also been practising my division and multiplication. In Religion we did a Bible Amazing Race, we raced against other teams to find stories in the Bible and analyse the meaning or purpose behind the story. We are now learning about the different Text Types of the Bible, such as Poems, Songs, Legal Codes or Laws and Narratives! In English Mrs Walton and Miss Smith has been helping as to improve our paragraph writing! We have focused on topic sentences so far! My favourite thing about year four is our class pet! We have a Queen Ant and worker ants. We named the Queen Ant, Jeff even though she is a girl.

Rahnie:

This year we have been learning about the life cycle of plants, we have planted our own seeds and we are watching the stages of their life cycle.

In Maths we have been learning all about the ‘FISH’ problem solving strategy. It helps us to Find the problem, gather the information, use a strategy or skill and understand how reasonable our finial answer is. It is super helpful to break down our problems!

My favourite thing about year four is checking my plant every day and watching the changes happen, as long as I remember to water it!

Elianna:

In year four, I have been learning about hours, minutes and seconds on an analogue clock. In science we learn about the life cycle of animals, especially Bees! Bees are so important to our environment because they collect pollen, it’s really amazing!

We have even been growing our grown plants in the classroom! My plant has grown lots, it’s bending out over the top of the pot plant! My favourite thing about year 4 is that we get to learn lots of interesting things and I really love to read!

Lilliana:

In year four I have been learnt about Australia’s First Nations People. We are learning all about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and reading Dreaming stories. I wondered all about the Dances they have learnt over the years and the way they caught and cooked their food with different tools.

My favourite things about Year Four is learning a bunch of new words that I didn’t know before and the classrooms ‘Calma Lama Corner’. If I am feeling like I am not ‘Ready to Learn’ I can check myself into the corner and use strategies to support myself and reflect. Once I am ready, my teachers support me to return to my learning.

Avah:

Year Four has been challenging and busy so far! But we have been learning all about Hard Yakka. When something is hard for you to do and people say, “I can’t do that” but they can! It will be challenging, but we need to be positive and do the best we can!

My favourite thing I have learnt in year four is equivalent number sentences. We can calculate two number sums that are equal.

We have also learnt about time on an analogue clock and we created sundials, the shadow from the sun tells us the hour of the day!

Theo:

In year four I have been learning about Symbiosis. Symbiosis is when both a plant and an animal each receive something from one another and are equal. For example, a bee receives pollen from a plant and the plant receives nectar from the bee!

My favourite thing about year four when I learn exciting new things. In Maths, we have been practising our skip counting to help us with learn our multiplication facts. We also are working with odd and even numbers and how they respond when added together. An even number plus an odd number always equals an odd number.

Lachlan:

In year four, we have been learning about the life cycle of plants and animals. We have even grown our own plants in the classroom. Mine has not grown yet, but it will! We have also been learning about safety, there are a high risk and a low risk in our everyday lives.

My favourite thing we have completed so far was creating our own clocks! We will use the sun and the shadow to see each hour throughout the day!

Koby:

In Health this year we have been learning about risk taking. We looked at the risk meter and had to determine if things are high or low risk. For example, if someone is on their phone while driving that would be a high risk and super dangerous.

In Maths, we have been learning about odd and even numbers, if you add an even number and an odd number, they will always equal an odd number no matter the size!

My favourite thing about Year Four is spending time with my friends during Fun Fridays and lunch time.

Libby:

This year in Maths we have learnt about odd and even numbers and telling the time on the analogue clock. We are even creating our own clocks that tell us the hour during the day. Clocks were first created by using the shadow from the sun. So, we will place a straw in a paper plate and put it out in the sun. The shadow on the plate we mark every hour throughout our day! In Health we have been learning about safety. Investigating high risk and low risk examples.

On Tuesday afternoon I go to violin lessons and I love it! I even get to take my violin home play and practise all the time. My favourite thing about year four so far is I take my Chromebook home, oh and my teachers!

YR 6 EASTER RAFFLE

This term the Year Six major fundraiser is an Easter multi-draw raffle that will be drawn on Friday 17th March 2023. Tickets are $1 each and to be sold in Weeks 5, 6, 7 & 8. Students will be selling tickets from just inside the gate each morning so please send your child/ren money to purchase tickets.

If you think you might be able to sell a book of 20 or 50 tickets within your workplace or at your sporting club etc please reach out to the year six teachers and we can arrange to get a book of tickets to you for selling. The contact email address is;

SJPA_Year6Teachers@rok.catholic.edu.au

Thank you for your support, it is always a great fundraiser for our year six students.

YR 7 EMMAUS COLLEGE 2023

ENROLMENTS FOR Year 7 2024 CLOSE – FRIDAY 3RD MARCH

Applications for Year 7 2024, close very shortly. We invite interested families with students in Year 6 this year to enrol to join our Emmaus College Community. Enrolment Interviews commence on Tuesday 14 March 2023. Interviews will only be guaranteed for families who have completed their enrolment application by Friday 3 March 2023.

To apply visit our college website or for more information, contact our college Enrolment Officer, Sonya Acutt, via phone 0749235758 or email enrolments@emmaus.qld.edu.au

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC in 2023

Enrolments are now being accepted for new and continuing students to learn the following instruments at St. Joseph’s Park Avenue.

FLUTE, CLARINET, SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, TROMBONE, PERCUSSION, VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO, GUITAR & VOICE.

Instrumental Music provides so many benefits to a child – please watch the attached link to a fantastic video about Music and the Brain: Instrumental Music Learning and Brain Fireworks

Please see the attached information letter for details on required year levels for each instrument, and a downloaded version of the enrolment form.

Enrolment is available online at the link below:

DRAKES SUPA IGA

Drakes Fundraiser for St. Joseph's Cathedral

I thank you for your support of this project which has raised over $40,000, of which the school community has played an important role. Please continue to support the Cathedral by shopping at DRAKES using your key tag and receiving the benefits.

If you have not been part of this fundraiser you are invited to get a key tag from your local School or Church and shop at your local Drakes, one cent in every dollar you spend will go to the Cathedral. No Fuss, only benefits.

Hoping to see you at Drakes
Stay Safe

Shirley Hopkins,
Co-ordinator, Drakes Fundraiser for St Joseph's Cathedral